Dear Mookie-Sticky Fingers Run DMZ
Dear Mookie,
So today was your uncle Manu's birthday and our all day adventure leading to the DMZ.
We met some librarians from illinois on the way and decided that being an african studies librarian would be almost as good as being a moo cow.
The DMZ was this odd mixture of imminent war, perpetual stalemate (selling t-shirts with the motto "DMZ since 1953"), and symbols of hope toward unification. The first stop on our trip, The Dorasan Railway Station, was supposed to be just that. A railway line that is to link the two koreas with a slogan "No longer the last stop in the south, but the first stop to the north." Thought at this point, it is the last stop. This super ultra modern railway station that dead ends. But we watched korean sign language on the flatscreen tvs.
There's a little observatory on the hilltop that south koreans can go to look at the DMZ. It's the closest they can get. You walk into this theater with windows that open to this 4 km wide valley of lush before the Mountains in North Korea. We couldn't take any pictures here. Not any good ones at least. But you'd probably love it... filled with lots of little critters to chase and no roller bladers who freak you out for whatever reason.
Next we walked down these south korean "interceptor" tunnels that blocked one of the North Korean "infiltration" tunnels that was percieved to be a huge threat and capable of mobilizing 30,000+ soldiers in one hour a short distance away from seoul.
We would have loved to take photos of these granite tunnels but we couldn't. So we instead ate a Sticky Fingers cookie in the tunnel to mark the event.
These tours we are told are for "tourism" for foreingers and "anti-communist education" for koreans. Final stop was a U.S. Army tour of the DMZ, which is only for foreigners. Not sure their pitbull policy. It's probably better than Denver though.
So the DMZ itself,was um serene and surreal. Seeing all the buildings where a gazillion peace talks have been held. One of the most fortified places in the world.
And then these model villages inside on each end. "Freedom Village" with there 100 m tall South korean flag pole, with rival "Propaganda Village" and their 160 m tall North Korean flag pole. A new joint venture industrial complex where workers from both sides make stuff together. The point of No Return Bridge.
We commemorated our visit by eating a sticky bun in the DMZ. Adding an extra sensory element to the day, a rare treat for a rare occasion.
So that's our Run DMZ. Returned to a nice dinner at Jung Eun's place and eating local yummy bell peppers.
More coming soon
Misses and Kisses
Mommy and Daddy
So today was your uncle Manu's birthday and our all day adventure leading to the DMZ.
We met some librarians from illinois on the way and decided that being an african studies librarian would be almost as good as being a moo cow.
The DMZ was this odd mixture of imminent war, perpetual stalemate (selling t-shirts with the motto "DMZ since 1953"), and symbols of hope toward unification. The first stop on our trip, The Dorasan Railway Station, was supposed to be just that. A railway line that is to link the two koreas with a slogan "No longer the last stop in the south, but the first stop to the north." Thought at this point, it is the last stop. This super ultra modern railway station that dead ends. But we watched korean sign language on the flatscreen tvs.
There's a little observatory on the hilltop that south koreans can go to look at the DMZ. It's the closest they can get. You walk into this theater with windows that open to this 4 km wide valley of lush before the Mountains in North Korea. We couldn't take any pictures here. Not any good ones at least. But you'd probably love it... filled with lots of little critters to chase and no roller bladers who freak you out for whatever reason.
Next we walked down these south korean "interceptor" tunnels that blocked one of the North Korean "infiltration" tunnels that was percieved to be a huge threat and capable of mobilizing 30,000+ soldiers in one hour a short distance away from seoul.
We would have loved to take photos of these granite tunnels but we couldn't. So we instead ate a Sticky Fingers cookie in the tunnel to mark the event.
These tours we are told are for "tourism" for foreingers and "anti-communist education" for koreans. Final stop was a U.S. Army tour of the DMZ, which is only for foreigners. Not sure their pitbull policy. It's probably better than Denver though.
So the DMZ itself,was um serene and surreal. Seeing all the buildings where a gazillion peace talks have been held. One of the most fortified places in the world.
And then these model villages inside on each end. "Freedom Village" with there 100 m tall South korean flag pole, with rival "Propaganda Village" and their 160 m tall North Korean flag pole. A new joint venture industrial complex where workers from both sides make stuff together. The point of No Return Bridge.
We commemorated our visit by eating a sticky bun in the DMZ. Adding an extra sensory element to the day, a rare treat for a rare occasion.
So that's our Run DMZ. Returned to a nice dinner at Jung Eun's place and eating local yummy bell peppers.
More coming soon
Misses and Kisses
Mommy and Daddy
posted by Wan Park at 11:00 PM
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